With cloud solutions becoming more and more popular many companies are asking the question which is better cloud storage or a file server? There are plenty of offices and companies that still use a file server to store their files and it is not necessarily a bad or wrong option. However, if you are still using a file server but are thinking about replacing it with something faster, more flexible and secure which allows for better organisation, then the benefits of SharePoint and its powerful document management capabilities could be what you need.
Storing your files and company data in the cloud with Microsoft’s SharePoint Online is much more cost effective, frees up more space and enables instantaneous mobile working that’s scalable to your organisation. We have discussed in a previous blog some of the main benefits of Sharepoint. There are many reasons why SharePoint Online is different to and, in our opinion, better than a traditional file server.
Access Sharepoint Everywhere
One of the big revolutions brought about by digital technologies has been the increase of remote working. SharePoint Online gives you access to all of your files and folders right from your desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc. via a web browser or desktop application meaning you are no longer tied to a desk in an office. As long as you have access to an internet connection you have access to your desktop.
Powerful search options
One of the great benefits of SharePoint is its search functionality. Of course a file server can hold a lot of files, but it can be difficult to find the file you need for a whole range of reasons – even with the best file storage system disorganisation can creep in; or there may simply be a huge amount of files and folders and you can’t remember which file is in which folder, etc. In SharePoint Online, you can search for your document using specific filters, metadata tags, preview documents, search for key words in the file itself etc., all of which makes locating your work a much quicker, more fluid experience.
Easy Online Collaboration
SharePoint is great for collaborating with colleagues on the same document at the same time. Even better than this, in SharePoint, you can also check out a document to work on while preventing others from doing the same. This stops people from working on the same document at the same time without knowing about it and impairing each other’s work. However, you want to work SharePoint makes it easy.
Versioning and better backups
In SharePoint, you can retrieve previous versions of files with the click of a button. If you edit a document accidentally, or you edited the wrong file, etc. and you need the previous document, you can retrieve it at the click of a button.
Infrastructure savings and storage space
SharePoint Online (along with Office 365) requires no infrastructure costs, nor does it need to be updated (Microsoft take care of this). That means you have always the very latest edition of the technology without even having to think about it.
More sophisticated document management
Business is dynamic and ever-changing, and your organisation needs to be just as dynamic and flexible to continue to grow. There are many ways in which you can make this happen, but a great place to start is where your business lives and breathes – your files, documents and content.
If you would like to find out more about SharePoint or Office 365 in general contact us now on 020 3904 3464 or [email protected].
